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'Antrim' () is a large town in County Antrim in the northeast of Northern Ireland, on the banks of the Six Mile Water, half a mile northeast from Lough Neagh. It had a population of 20,001 people in the 2001 Census. The town is the administrative centre for Antrim Borough Council. It is 22 miles (35 km) northwest of Belfast by rail, and was, until recently, also served by the railway line from Lisburn.
Antrim is home to the only International Retail Outlet in Ireland, Junction One, named after the junction on the M22 motorway which links to part of the major M2 motorway.

Contents

History

The Troubles

Geography

Demography

Landmarks

Transport

Education

Sport

Notable Antrimers

References

External links

History

A battle was fought near Antrim between the English and Irish in the reign of Edward III; and in 1642 a naval engagement took place on Lough Neagh, for Viscount Massereene and Ferrard (who founded Antrim Castle in 1662) had a right to maintain a fighting fleet on the lough. During the 1798 rebellion on June 7, 1798 United Irish rebels under Henry Joy McCracken unsuccessfully attacked the town, meeting defeat in the Battle of Antrim. The county governor, Lord O'Neill, was mortally wounded in the fighting. Before the Act of Union, Antrim returned two members to parliament by virtue of letters patent granted in 1666 by Charles II.

The Troubles

For more information see The Troubles in Antrim, which includes a list of incidents in Antrim during the Troubles resulting in two or more fatalities.

Geography

Divisions and suburbs of Antrim include Ballycraigy, Caulside, Dublin Road, Greystone, Islandbawn, Muckamore, Newpark, Niblock, Parkhall, Rathenraw, Riverside, Springfarm, Steeple, Stiles, The Folly, Townparks, Carnbeg, Meadowlands, Greenvale.
Ballycraigy, Steeple and Stiles would be regarded as exclusively Protestant and support for Loyalist paramilitary groups would be high. Rathenraw is a mostly Catholic area and support for Republican paramilitary groups would be high.

Demography

Antrim is classified as a Large Town by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)^[1] (ie with population between 18,000 and 75,000). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 20,001 people living in Antrim. Of these:

★ 23.1% were aged under 16 years and 15.7% were aged 60 and over

★ 48.6% of the population were male and 51.4% were female

★ 32.9% were from a Catholic background and 61.5% were from a Protestant background

★ 3.8% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.
For more details see: Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service^[2]

Landmarks

There are many buildings of historic note in the town, especially in and around High Street. The courthouse sits at the end of the street, near the Barbican Gate, the old gateway to Antrim Castle. There are also hidden gems, such as a 19th century smithy (now a shop) on Bridge Street with a distinctive horseshoe entrance.

★ Shane's Castle and Antrim Castle

★ About a mile from the town is one of the most perfect of the round towers of Ireland, 93 feet high and 50 feet in circumference at the base. It stands in the grounds of Steeple, where there is also the "Witches' Stone", a prehistoric monument.

★ There was a Castle, near the Six Mile Water, which was destroyed in a fire in 1922. All that remains is an octagonal tower.

★ The river allowed the linen industry to be established. The linen industry has been replaced by a Technology Park, the only one in Northern Ireland.

★ Antrim Market House is a 2–story builiding, nine bays long, three deep built in 1726. Formerly a Court House, it is currently vacant.

Transport

Antrim railway station was opened on 11 April 1848, and closed for goods traffic on 4 January 1965.^[3]

Education

★ Antrim Grammar School

★ Parkhall College

★ Antrim Primary School

★ St Comgalls Primary School

★ Greystone Primary

★ Ballycraigy Primary School

★ Parkhall Primary School

★ St Joseph's Primary School

★ Rathenraw Primary School

★ RoundTower Primary School

Sport

★ Antrim Forum leisure centre^[4]

★ Chimney Corner F.C.

★ Antrim Mixed Martial Arts Academy^[5]

Notable Antrimers

Antrim was home to author and poet Dr. Alexander Irvine who was born in Pogues Entry in the town. He later wrote My Lady of the Chimney Corner. This was a reference to his mother.

References

1. NI Statistics and Research Agency website.
2. Northern Ireladn Neighbourhood Information website.
3. Antrim
4. Antrim Forum website.
5. Antrim MMA


★

★ Antrim on the ''Culture Northern Ireland'' website.

External links

★ Antrim Market House

★ Antrim Round Tower

★ Antrim towntalk

★ Antrim live

★ Antrim Borough Council

★ Antrim MMA